Tag: New in 2020

Bringing the best of Southern food, hospitality, and live country music to the No. 1 travel destination in the United States, Ryman Hospitality Properties is set to open Ole Red Orlando at ICON Park on International Drive April 14.

Ole Red Orlando will feature live music with state-of-the-art acoustics and lighting for a concert-quality music experience as well as indoor and outdoor private event areas and three bars. The venue will also be equipped with a large stage and concert-level production and sound capabilities, along with a video wall and additional LED screens. Programming will include showcases for up-and-coming talent and live music throughout the week hand-picked by Opry Entertainment Group’s programming team.

The $15 million venue will offer 17,289 square feet on two levels and seat approximately 500 guests. It will provide extensive event space for private dining, corporate events, weddings, and group outings.

A made-from-scratch, Shelton-inspired menu will feature Ole Red signature items such as “Champagne of Fried Chicken,” along with specialty cocktails, an extensive selection of beer and wine and Orlando-only specialties.

Ole Red Orlando is now hiring for select positions, and all other positions will be posted beginning Feb. 24. The venue will be hosting a Grand Hire event March 16 – 21. Candidates are strongly encouraged to apply online in advance to secure an interview time and day. Walk-ins are welcome. For more information and to apply, visit olered.com/orlando/jobs.

Riptide Race is splashing into Aquatica Orlando in 2020 with a one-of-a-kind new park attraction that will thrill park-goers—Florida’s first-ever dueling water slide.

Starting atop a 68-foot tower, riders will be able to grab a raft and take their mark in side-by-side racing lanes at top speeds. Each raft holds a team of two, so every rider will have a partner as they plunge toward a hopeful victory. Plus, Riptide Race rafts feature low walls to ensure full view of the competition. Dueling face-to-face, racers will navigate tight loops and accelerations through indoor and outdoor sections. It’s a marathon to the finish through nearly 650 feet of splashing slide!

“Riptide Race will offer a ride experience you won’t be able to get anywhere else in Florida. Aquatica will be the first waterpark in the state to have a thrilling, and more importantly, dueling water slide,” said David Heaton, Aquatica Orlando vice president. “Riptide Race is the perfect addition to our attraction portfolio, complementing what is already one of the most family friendly waterslide lineups in Orlando.”

Riptide Race will have a height requirement of 42 inches to appeal to families with children, and the new slide will be conveniently located on the north side of the park next to Banana Beach Cook Out.

Assemble your squad and get ready to turn up the fun at Aquatica in 2020.

The Universal Orlando Resort revealed that the The Bourne Stuntacular will debut at Universal Studios Florida in spring 2020 bringing guests into the world of Jason Bourne with live performers, incredible stunts, and adrenaline-pumping action at every turn

The cutting-edge live-action stunt show based on Universal Pictures’blockbuster Bourne film franchise will blur the lines between stage and cinema in a hybrid form of entertainment that has never been seen before.

The Bourne Stuntacular will follow the character of Jason Bourne around the globe as sinister characters pursue him. Everything fans have come to expect from the action-packed Bourne film franchise – thrilling chase scenes, punishing fistfights, death-defying leaps and danger at every turn – will happen right in front of guests with live performers, high-tech props and an immense LED screen, making it impossible to discern where the live action ends and the cinema begins.

Universal Orlando places guests in the heart of powerful stories and adventures with some of the world’s most entertaining and innovative theme park experiences. And now, the addition of this edge-of-your-seat live stunt show brings an unprecedented level of action-packed excitement for every member of the family as the character of Jason Bourne attempts to evade capture time and time again.

The Bourne Stuntacular will be located on the streets of Hollywood at Universal Studios Florida, in the former location of Terminator 2: 3-D.

SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay have revealed details regarding new attractions coming to the parks in 2020.

This marks the first time in four years that both parks have launched new coasters in the same year.

Iron Gwazi – Opening Spring 2020 at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

A NEW legend is surfacing in 2020 at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay with the evolution of Iron Gwazi, North America’s tallest, and the fastest, and steepest hybrid coaster in the world. Manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction, Iron Gwazi will be 206 feet tall, feature a 91-degree drop, and reach top speeds of 76 miles per hour. The journey will include three inversions and 12 airtime hills as it races along more than 4,075 feet of purple steel track. With a 48” height requirement, Iron Gwazi will be an exciting thrill attraction that families can take on together.

“Iron Gwazi is the evolution of a classic wooden coaster into a modern icon,” said Stewart Clark, Park President of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. “From the bones of the original Gwazi, a new legend rises, reaching taller heights and faster speeds, delivering the next-level thrills that our coaster fans crave and expect from Busch Gardens.”

While elements of the former wooden attraction will be integrated into the new ride, the steel track and reimagined layout of Iron Gwazi present an entirely unique experience that tells a different story. Iron Gwazi will highlight the best of both worlds — the classic nostalgia of a wooden coaster and the bold innovation of a steel coaster.

Thriving and adapting over millions of years, this evolutionary crossroad is perfectly represented in the crocodile, the largest living reptile and the animal inspiration for Iron Gwazi.

Solar Vortex – Opening Spring 2020 at Adventure Island

Spin and splash at Adventure Island on Solar Vortex — America’s first dual-tailspin water slide.

This thrilling family raft slide combines high-banking rotations and rapid descents, sending sliders on a swirling journey through two open tailspin features. Manufactured by Whitewater, Solar Vortex will also include three dynamic AquaLucent elements — harnessing the power of the Florida sun into colorful patterns that shine through the slide as riders reach speeds of up to 20 miles per hour.

Solar Vortex will be an electrifying new ride for families next year when it opens with the 2020 Adventure Island season.

Ice Breaker – Opening Spring 2020 at SeaWorld Orlando

Making its debut in spring 2020, riders will shiver through family friendly adventures on SeaWorld Orlando’s first launch coaster: Ice Breaker.

Named after the icy Arctic summits, Ice Breaker will feature four launches, both backwards and forwards, culminating in a reverse launch into the steepest beyond vertical drop in Florida — a 93-foot tall spike with 100-degree angle.

Located near the Wild Arctic Attraction, the ride’s theme is reflective of this area with a nod to Ice Breaker’s conservation partner, Alaska SeaLife Center. Primarily dedicated to marine research, education and wildlife response, the Alaska SeaLife Center mission matches closely to SeaWorld Orlando’s, making them a perfect partner to help educate riders about the Artic and its inhabitants.

“The Alaska SeaLife Center is excited to grow our partnership with SeaWorld. For many years, SeaWorld has been a stalwart supporter of the Center, and particularly our Wildlife Response program,” said Tara L. Riemer, President and CEO of Alaska SeaLife Center. “We are grateful for SeaWorld’s contributions of funding and staff over the years to further our mission. This new collaboration will continue efforts to highlight Arctic rescue and conservation stories.”

The opening of Ice Breaker is the perfect addition to SeaWorld’s ever-growing ride portfolio. From the roller coaster thrills of Mako, Manta and Kraken, to the water rapids of Infinity Falls and the flume fun of Journey to Atlantis, Ice Breaker joins the park’s famed attractions as a must-do experience in Orlando.

Best value for Floridians – Enjoy all NEW rides with an Annual Pass!

With three ALL-NEW attractions to enjoy, there has never been a better time to be a SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Annual Pass Member. Upon the launch of each attraction, Pass Members will enjoy EXCLUSIVE RIDE TIME on Iron Gwazi, Ice Breaker and Solar Vortex.

For 2020, the best value for Floridians is the FOUR PARK PASS, which includes admission to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Adventure Island, SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica Orlando. In addition to exciting NEW rides coming next spring, guests who purchase an annual pass today can enjoy fan-favorite events included with their park admission in Orlando and Tampa.